BUILD-A-BUG
Part I: Your bugs DNA codes fro proteins. Proteins consist of several amino acids. The amino acid
chain (your bug’s protein) determines the traits for your bug. Use the mRNA codon wheel and your
knowledge of transcription and translation to complete the chart.
Part 2: Once you know the traits for your bug, cut out the correct parts and put the bug together and
color it accordingly. You will also need to color your bug according to the traits it has.
Gene
DNA Triplets
mRNA Codons
Amino Acid Chain
Head Size
Thorax
Size
Abdomen
Size
Eye
Color
Wing
Color
Wing
Length
Leg Length
Antenna
Body Color
mRNA Codon Chart
Trait
Here is your bug’s DNA. In order to decode the genetic message, you will first need to divide the
DNA into triplets. Then transcribe the DNA into mRNA and translate the mRNA into amino acids.
The amino acid sequence coded for by the DNA will determine the traits of your bug.
Bug’s DNA (A)
GAGCGACTT
GGACGGCCT
head gene
GCAAAAGTG
TAAAACAACATAACG
thorax
gene
abdomen
gene
CGCAGGGTTCTA
TAGCTAACG
TGACAGTTAGGA
wing color
gene
wing length
gene
leg length
gene
eye color gene
TGGACAAGT
antenna gene
GCCGGAGTG
body color
gene
Gene
Amino Acid Sequence (Protein)
Trait
Head Size
leucine/ alanine/ glutamic acid
leucine/ leucine/ glutamic acid
small head
large head
Thorax Size
tryptophan/ aspartic acid/ glycine
proline/ alanine/ glycine
short thorax
long thorax
Abdomen Size
valine/ phenylalanine/ tyrosine
arginine/ phenylalanine/ histidine
short abdomen
long abdomen
Eye Color
isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine/ cystine
cystine/ isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine
red
white
Wing Color
glycine/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
alanine/ serine/ glutamine/ aspartic acid
aspartic acid/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
yellow
purple
blue
Wing Length
isoleucine/ aspartic acid/ cystine
isoleucine/ alanine/ cystine
long wings
short wings
Leg Length
threonine/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
proline/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
long legs
short legs
Antenna
cystine/ serine/ threonine
threonine/ cystine/ serine
present
absent
Body Color
histidine/ proline/ arginine
arginine/ proline/ histidine
histidine/ proline/ threonine
orange
brown
gray
Here is your bug’s DNA. In order to decode the genetic message, you will first need to divide the
DNA into triplets. Then transcribe the DNA into mRNA and translate the mRNA into amino acids.
The amino acid sequence coded for by the DNA will determine the traits of your bug.
Bug’s DNA (B)
GAGGAACTT
ACCCTACCG
head gene
CCAGTTAGGCGC
wing color gene
CATAAAATG
thorax
gene
ACGTAAAACAACATA
abdomen
gene
TAGCGCACG
eye color gene
GGACAGTTAGGA
wing length
gene
leg length gene
TGGACAAGT
antenna
gene
GTGGGAGCC
body color gene
Gene
Amino Acid Sequence (Protein)
Trait
Head Size
leucine/ alanine/ glutamic acid
leucine/ leucine/ glutamic acid
small head
large head
Thorax Size
tryptophan/ aspartic acid/ glycine
proline/ alanine/ glycine
short thorax
long thorax
Abdomen Size
valine/ phenylalanine/ tyrosine
arginine/ phenylalanine/ histidine
short abdomen
long abdomen
Eye Color
isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine/ cystine
cystine/ isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine
red
white
Wing Color
glycine/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
alanine/ serine/ glutamine/ aspartic acid
aspartic acid/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
yellow
purple
blue
Wing Length
isoleucine/ aspartic acid/ cystine
isoleucine/ alanine/ cystine
long wings
short wings
Leg Length
threonine/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
proline/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
long legs
short legs
Antenna
cystine/ serine/ threonine
threonine/ cystine/ serine
present
absent
Body Color
histidine/ proline/ arginine
arginine/ proline/ histidine
histidine/ proline/ threonine
orange
brown
gray
Here is your bug’s DNA. In order to decode the genetic message, you will first need to divide the
DNA into triplets. Then transcribe the DNA into mRNA and translate the mRNA into amino acids.
The amino acid sequence coded for by the DNA will determine the traits of your bug.
Bug’s DNA (C)
GAGCGACTT
GGACGGCCT
head gene
GCAAAAGTG
thorax
gene
abdomen
gene
CTAGTTAGGCGC
TAGCGCACG
wing color
gene
wing length
gene
TAAAACAACATAACG
eye color gene
TGACAGTTA/GGA
leg length
gene
TGGACAAGT
antenna
gene
GTGGGAGCC
body color
gene
Gene
Amino Acid Sequence (Protein)
Trait
Head Size
leucine/ alanine/ glutamic acid
leucine/ leucine/ glutamic acid
small head
large head
Thorax Size
tryptophan/ aspartic acid/ glycine
proline/ alanine/ glycine
short thorax
long thorax
Abdomen Size
valine/ phenylalanine/ tyrosine
arginine/ phenylalanine/ histidine
short abdomen
long abdomen
Eye Color
isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine/ cystine
cystine/ isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine
red
white
Wing Color
glycine/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
alanine/ serine/ glutamine/ aspartic acid
aspartic acid/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
yellow
purple
blue
Wing Length
isoleucine/ aspartic acid/ cystine
isoleucine/ alanine/ cystine
long wings
short wings
Leg Length
threonine/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
proline/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
long legs
short legs
Antenna
cystine/ serine/ threonine
threonine/ cystine/ serine
present
absent
Body Color
histidine/ proline/ arginine
arginine/ proline/ histidine
histidine/ proline/ threonine
orange
brown
gray
Here is your bug’s DNA. In order to decode the genetic message, you will first need to divide the
DNA into triplets. Then transcribe the DNA into mRNA and translate the mRNA into amino acids.
The amino acid sequence coded for by the DNA will determine the traits of your bug.
Bug’s DNA (D)
GAGCGACTT
ACCCTACCG
head gene
GCAAAAGTG
thorax
gene
abdomen
gene
CGCAGGGTTCTA
TAGCTAACG
wing color
gene
wing length
gene
TAAAACAACATAACG
eye color gene
GGACAGTTAGGA
leg length
gene
ACAAGTTGG
antenna gene
GCCGGAGTG
body color
gene
Gene
Amino Acid Sequence (Protein)
Trait
Head Size
leucine/ alanine/ glutamic acid
leucine/ leucine/ glutamic acid
small head
large head
Thorax Size
tryptophan/ aspartic acid/ glycine
proline/ alanine/ glycine
short thorax
long thorax
Abdomen Size
valine/ phenylalanine/ tyrosine
arginine/ phenylalanine/ histidine
short abdomen
long abdomen
Eye Color
isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine/ cystine
cystine/ isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine
red
white
Wing Color
glycine/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
alanine/ serine/ glutamine/ aspartic acid
aspartic acid/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
yellow
purple
blue
Wing Length
isoleucine/ aspartic acid/ cystine
isoleucine/ alanine/ cystine
long wings
short wings
Leg Length
threonine/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
proline/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
long legs
short legs
Antenna
cystine/ serine/ threonine
threonine/ cystine/ serine
present
absent
Body Color
histidine/ proline/ arginine
arginine/ proline/ histidine
histidine/ proline/ threonine
orange
brown
gray
Here is your bug’s DNA. In order to decode the genetic message, you will first need to divide the
DNA into triplets. Then transcribe the DNA into mRNA and translate the mRNA into amino acids.
The amino acid sequence coded for by the DNA will determine the traits of your bug.
Bug’s DNA (E)
GAGGAACTT
GGACGGCCT
head gene
CCAGTTAGGCGC
wing color gene
CATAAAATG
TAAAACAACATAACG
abdomen
gene
eye color gene
thorax
gene
TAGCTAACG
TGACAGTTAGGA
wing length
gene
leg length
gene
ACAAGTTGG
antenna gene
GTGGGATGT
body color
gene
Gene
Amino Acid Sequence (Protein)
Trait
Head Size
leucine/ alanine/ glutamic acid
leucine/ leucine/ glutamic acid
small head
large head
Thorax Size
tryptophan/ aspartic acid/ glycine
proline/ alanine/ glycine
short thorax
long thorax
Abdomen Size
valine/ phenylalanine/ tyrosine
arginine/ phenylalanine/ histidine
short abdomen
long abdomen
Eye Color
isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine/ cystine
cystine/ isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine
red
white
Wing Color
glycine/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
alanine/ serine/ glutamine/ aspartic acid
aspartic acid/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
yellow
purple
blue
Wing Length
isoleucine/ aspartic acid/ cystine
isoleucine/ alanine/ cystine
long wings
short wings
Leg Length
threonine/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
proline/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
long legs
short legs
Antenna
cystine/ serine/ threonine
threonine/ cystine/ serine
present
absent
Body Color
histidine/ proline/ arginine
arginine/ proline/ histidine
histidine/ proline/ threonine
orange
brown
gray
Here is your bug’s DNA. In order to decode the genetic message, you will first need to divide the
DNA into triplets. Then transcribe the DNA into mRNA and translate the mRNA into amino acids.
The amino acid sequence coded for by the DNA will determine the traits of your bug.
Bug’s DNA (F)
GAGCGACTT
GGACGGCCT
head gene
GCAAAAGTG
thorax
gene
abdomen
gene
CGCAGGGTT/CTA
TAGCTAACG
wing color
gene
wing length
gene
TAAAACAACATAACG
eye color gene
TGACAGTTAGGA
leg length
gene
ACAAGTTGG
antenna gene
GCCGGAGTG
body color
gene
Gene
Amino Acid Sequence (Protein)
Trait
Head Size
leucine/ alanine/ glutamic acid
leucine/ leucine/ glutamic acid
small head
large head
Thorax Size
tryptophan/ aspartic acid/ glycine
proline/ alanine/ glycine
short thorax
long thorax
Abdomen Size
valine/ phenylalanine/ tyrosine
arginine/ phenylalanine/ histidine
short abdomen
long abdomen
Eye Color
isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine/ cystine
cystine/ isoleucine/ leucine/ leucine/ tyrosine
red
white
Wing Color
glycine/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
alanine/ serine/ glutamine/ aspartic acid
aspartic acid/ glutamine/ serine/ alanine
yellow
purple
blue
Wing Length
isoleucine/ aspartic acid/ cystine
isoleucine/ alanine/ cystine
long wings
short wings
Leg Length
threonine/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
proline/ valine/ asparagine/ proline
long legs
short legs
Antenna
cystine/ serine/ threonine
threonine/ cystine/ serine
present
absent
Body Color
histidine/ proline/ arginine
arginine/ proline/ histidine
histidine/ proline/ threonine
orange
brown
gray